Awning



Nov. 11, 1958 c. l. HULL 2,859,494

AWNING Filed March 15, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 64AM? Z. #041.

Nov. 11, 1958 c. l. HULL 2,859,494

AWNING Filed March 15, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 004/2 1. HULL A TTOEA/E Y NOV- 11, 1958 v c, H L 2,859,494

' AWNING Filed March 15, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. UZA/E I. #ULL ATTOE/V'V Nov. 11, 1958 Q LHULL 2,859,494

AWNING Filed March 15, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 U u 017 u nf r b- 67 I; i 5e INVEN TOR.

FLA/E 1'. HULL United States Patent'O AWNING Clair I. Hull, Seattle, Wash.

Application March 15, 1955, Serial No. 494,396

2 Claims. (Cl. 2057.5)

The invention relates to window or door shading devices and more particularly to light weight awnings.

The purpose of the invention is to provide an attractive and effective awning which can be assembled from com ponents easily compacted for shipment, handling and storage and installed conveniently with the aid of a minimum number of conventional tools and without the need for special skills.

The invention, briefly described, comprises a multipiec'ed frame designed to receive resilient curved slats and to hold them firmly with their natural curvature altered establishing a gripping power inherent in this manner of construction.

Objects of the invention are to provide'an awning which is (l) manufactured economically, (2) readily finished in eye appealing colors of lasting brilliance, (3) conveniently assembled and disassembled with a minimum of fasteners secured by bending their integral tabs.

The invention, its purpose and objects will be more readily understood as the following description is read in conjunction with the drawings in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of one embodiment of the awning mounted at a window,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the awning and window shown in Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a perspective view of awning components before assembly,

Figure 4 is a broken sectional side view of the components shown in Figure 3 after their assembly and attachment to supports,

Figure 5 is a perspective view of an ornamental strip used in another embodiment,

Figure 6 is a partial, broken side view of the embodiment employing the ornamental strip shown in Figure 5,

Figure 7 is a view of the underside of an awning to illustrate how bracing members are employed, the dotted lines indicating other braces,

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7 showing another bracing arrangement, and

Figure 9 is a detail of the center of the bracing shown in Figure 8.

The invention, described in detail with specific reference to these figures wherein similar parts are indicated by like numerals throughout the drawings, comprises a light weight awning for installation over windows and doors which is neat in appearance and effective in blocking direct sunlight While passing desirable indirect light.

Referring to Figure 1, the awning 10 is mounted partially above and opposite a window frame 11. As shown in Figure 2, the angle of mounting can be varied by adjustment of the telescoping support arms 12 and 13, each with a clamping screw 14. The top is pivotally secured to the dwelling structure 15 (or to the window frame 11 if desired) by use of interfitting components: one, a sup: porting channel member 16 that is secured to the structure 15 with fasteners 17 parallel to the top of the window frame 11, and the others, spaced, substantially Z- shaped tongues 18 as shown in Figure 4.

"ice

sary, illustrated in the remaining views.

The key parts of the assembly are the formed cut away rib channels 19 spaced across the width of the awning 10. Each rib channel 19 has multiple evenly spaced cutouts 20 in its opposite legs or flanges 21. The cutouts 20 form (1) a receiving slot 22 oblique to the channel corners 23 and directed toward the top end 24 of the rib channel 19; (2) a concave edge 25 in each leg or flange 21 commencing near the center 26 of one sideof the slot 22 and terminating at (3) a hook 27 located above the entrance of the slot 22 of the adjacent cutout 20. Evenly spaced along the fiat 28 of the channel rib 19 are openings 29 to receive fasteners as required. Also stif-. fening is obtained by forming the parallel grooves 30 in the flat 28. The remaining components of the awning are directly or indirectly attached to these ribs, channelsorder to get its other edge 32 beneath the hooks 27 the curvature of the slat can be increased or it can be reversed using as a fulcrum the ribs concave edge 25 where it joins the rib slot at 26. Upon release of the installation forces the slat 31 tends to return to its natural curvature as its edge 33 withdraws from the slot 22. The natural curvature is not quite regained, however, and the slat in its constrained altered curvature status bears against the boundaries of the cutouts 20 effectively securing itself. Unless removal forces are employed moving the slat 31 back down into the slot 22 and thereafter altering its curvature, the slat remains tightly secured to the rib channel 19. Such forces are not encountered, except as created by human direction, so high velocity winds fail to dislodge the slats 31 making this awning construction very satisfactory for outdoor usage. The slats 31 extend the full width of the awning 10 supported at each end and elsewhere as needed by the rib channels 19. They also overlap one another by virtue of the relative positions of the adjacent cutouts 20 so that an effective sun and rain shield is formed. Yet their overlapping portions 32, 33 are spaced apart one above the other so that lightis indirectly passed. Other components attached to the subassembly of the slats 31 and ribs 19 are added for either 1) support, (2) bracing, (3) appearance or (4) fastening purposes.

As mentioned previously Figure 3 illustrates the majority of all the various types of components before as sembly in somewhat related positions, and Figure 4 shows them assembled with some added components. Referring to these Figures 3 and 4, it will be noted that the slats 31 continue to be securedin'the manner previously described along the length of the ribs. 19 until the rib a rib opening 29 and bent back to grip the rib fiat 28.

The finger hook end 38 slidably contacts the exterior of the top supporting channel member 16 to substantially maintain the continuity of the awning protection from direct sunlight and rain.

The substantially Z-shaped tongues 18 mentioned previouslyin discussing the mounting of the awning are attached to the rib flats 28 by bending their paired integral tabs 41 and 42.

At the lower end 34, the rib 19 is terminated at 43, a

slight distance beyond a hook 27. An additional supplemental rib 44is optionally employed at this end 34 to give a rounded edge appearance to the awning. It overlaps rib 19, a distance equal to approximately one slat width, fitting inside the rib flanges 21 and the flat 28. The extending portion 45 is curved downward and to facilitate its bending the flat is partially removed at 46 leaving an end cross brace 47. The legs or flanges 48 of the extension rib 45 are formed to continue the slat spacing defined along the rib 19, however, the installation of the two slats 31 does not require that their curvature be reversed for they are both involved in subassemblies that permit their complete trapping. The uppermost slat 31 of the two on the extension rib 45 is positioned before the extension 45- is secured to the rib 19 and the lower is positioned before installation of the bottom reinforcing trim flange 49. The latter is a substantially flat piece that extends across the bottom of the awning behind the rib extension 45 strengthened by integral grooves 59. It is positioned as its lower curved edge 51 overlays the bottom points 52 of the rib extension 45 and its top flanged edge 53 is supported by the formed tab 54 on the fastener 55.

This fastener 55 used on each rib 19 at its lower end 34 is the sole fastener used to connect all the members or components together at this location in addition to serving as a support for the reinforcing trim flange 49 as just mentioned. Before it is positioned, where braces 14 are to be located, the bracing connector 56, a short section of channel with multiple holes 57 at selective locations in each flange 58, is placed over it between two tabs 59 and 60 integrally formed from the fastener 55. Thereafter the fastener 55 is moved so (1) its tab 54 supports the trim flange 49; (2) its tab 59 overlaps the upper edge of the flat opening 46 and (3) its tab 60 projects up through typical openings 29 in the flats of both the rib 19 and the rib extension 44. With all the lower end frame members held firmly in their positions the fastener tab 60 is bent over into contact with the inside surface of the flat of rib extension 45.

The braces 14 are secured to the bracing connectors 56 by fasteners 61 which are passed through holes 57 in the connector 56 and holes 62 in the braces 14 and bent to complete the attachment of the adjustable braces 14 to the awning 10, as illustrated in Figures 2 and 4.

Figure is a perspective view of an ornamental strip 63 which is optionally placed over the slats 31 right above each rib 19. The cutouts 64 are made to accommodate the rib hooks 27 and tabs 65 grip the lower slat edges 32 as the strip 63 is fitted into place as shown in Figure 6. It extends over all slats 31 terminating at the top in the finger hook end 38 (not shown in Figure 6) and at the bottom in the trim flange curved edge 51 (not shown in Figure 6).

Where wide windows or doors areto be shaded by this awning construction, it is desirable to use additional bracing, examples of which are illustrated in Figures 7 and 8. A central channel 66 extending across the width of the awning 10 and fastened to each rib 19 by a bendable tab fastener 67 may be sufficient. If however, a greater width is involved diagonal channel tubes 68 are employed (shown by dotted lines in Figure 7). Or as shown in Figure 8, where even larger awning areas are involved multiple channel tubes 68 are used, emanating from a center disk 69. The tubes are secured to the disk 69 and other bracing connectors 56 by use of a slightly raised flat circular washer 7 0 that fits the interior of the channel tubes 68 as shown in Figure 9, All these components are easily secured to the ribs 19 by using fasteners with bendable tabs that pass through rib openings 29 in the same manner as described previously in conjunction with other subassemblies.

I claim:

1. In an awning of the type comprising ribs and rib supported slats, the improvement for receiving and hold- I ing precurved slats in a concavely upward stressed condition which comprises supporting ribs of channel shaped cross-section with the channel legs upstanding, said channel legs having slat receiving openings consisting of: a hook for receiving one edge of the slat; a slot for receiving the other edge of the slat; and a concave slat support extending from the hook to the slot, the distance between the hook and the bottom of the slot being at least the width of the slat and the slot width being greatly oversized relative to the slat whereby a normally cocavely curved slat can be inserted between the slot and the hook when bent to a convex curve and thereafter in reassuming its normally concave shape is free to partially withdrawn from the slot and come to rest with one edge engaged in the slot crosswise contacting the slot side wall, with the other edge engaged by the hook, and with the bottom of the slat resting at least partially against the concave slat support.

2. A slat type awning comprising spaced supporting ribs of channel shaped cross-section positioned with the channel legs upright and securing means integral with the ribs in an overlapping relationship formed by cutting the legs identically to provide: a hook disposed to receive one edge of a slat; a slot for receiving the other edge of the slat; and a concave slat support extending from the slot to the hook, the distance between the hook and the bottom of the slot being at least the width of the slat, and the slot width being greatly oversized relative to the slat whereby a normally concavely curved slat can be inserted between the slot and the hook when bent to a convex curve and thereafter in reassuming its normally concave shape is free to partially withdraw from the slot and come to rest with one edge engaged in the slot crosswise contacting the slot side wall, with the other edge engaged by the hook, and with the bottom of the slat resting at least partially against the concave slat support, the slot further being formed at the underside of the hook which retains an edge of the next adjacent slat whereby the slats of the awning are retained in overlapping relationship.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 232,883 Carey, Jr. Oct. 5, 1880 1,536,520 Parker 1. May 5, 1925 2,650,393 Coward Sept. 1, 1953 2,657,437 Moser Nov. 3, 1953 2,709,841 Knabeschuh June 7, 1955 2,720,684 Toti Oct. 18, 1955 

